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Post by kz on Jul 13, 2023 17:42:20 GMT
I saw this last night too. I think I must have been two rows directly behind you @tallpaul as I clocked the note taking too.
I enjoyed it. Not quite as impressive as the London productions but I thought the projections for the boat and the helicopter worked well. I'd warned my husband that there wouldn't be an actual helicopter having read posts on here beforehand but we both found the staging really effective.
I don't have a cast list to hand for the actors' names but thought Kim was excellent and enjoyed Joanna as The Engineer. Having such a strong singer really brought something to the role, as well as the new perspective with the female Engineer. I thought Ellen was great and have found Maybe to be really quite emotional, which I can't say I've ever felt in previous productions. I also enjoyed the opening of Morning of the Dragon focusing on Thuy and thought he gave a strong performance.
Some of the lyric changes were a bit clunky and I agree with other posters that the ending lost some of emotional impact with the current staging. There wasn't any opportunity for Kim and Chris to interact which felt cold rather than any more tragic.
Overall, we enjoyed it. Our first time at The Crucible too.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 13, 2023 17:51:25 GMT
I hope people going to the Crucible for the first time are enjoying it. Even if the brutalist exterior isnât to peopleâs taste, the lovely foyer and beautiful auditorium with its starry night ceiling must surely appeal â¤ď¸
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 13, 2023 18:05:20 GMT
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Post by PhantomNcl on Jul 13, 2023 18:46:09 GMT
I hope people going to the Crucible for the first time are enjoying it. Even if the brutalist exterior isnât to peopleâs taste, the lovely foyer and beautiful auditorium with its starry night ceiling must surely appeal â¤ď¸ Yes yes yes yes yes! Such a fantastic space, both FoH and in the auditorium. Our view from P33 was incredible, and the staff were really friendly too.
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Post by mrnutz on Jul 14, 2023 8:27:23 GMT
I hope people going to the Crucible for the first time are enjoying it. Even if the brutalist exterior isnât to peopleâs taste, the lovely foyer and beautiful auditorium with its starry night ceiling must surely appeal â¤ď¸ What's the seating like in the side sections? I'm D 17.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 14, 2023 8:33:45 GMT
I was sat in a cheap extreme end seat (late booking) and a few rows back. The view was absolutely fine, apart from I couldnât read the screens. I donât think I missed much. The show was practically sold out. I would avoid the front row as there are extra seats in front where the cast sit for a lot of the show when not performing. Youâre on the same level, so the view must be restricted. I hope people going to the Crucible for the first time are enjoying it. Even if the brutalist exterior isnât to peopleâs taste, the lovely foyer and beautiful auditorium with its starry night ceiling must surely appeal â¤ď¸ What's the seating like in the side sections? I'm D 17. See Dr Tom âs comment above. Looks like he was much further to the side than you. I think D17 will be a fantastic view.
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Post by mrnutz on Jul 14, 2023 9:03:17 GMT
I was sat in a cheap extreme end seat (late booking) and a few rows back. The view was absolutely fine, apart from I couldnât read the screens. I donât think I missed much. The show was practically sold out. I would avoid the front row as there are extra seats in front where the cast sit for a lot of the show when not performing. Youâre on the same level, so the view must be restricted. What's the seating like in the side sections? I'm D 17. See Dr Tom âs comment above. Looks like he was much further to the side than you. I think D17 will be a fantastic view. Thank you! I will - of course - report back. I'm in for the Saturday matinee.
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Post by musicalfloozie on Jul 14, 2023 9:45:34 GMT
I'm in for this Sat Mat as well. I'm debating booking more tickets as I do love the score. Its interesting to see everyone's reviews and ratings on this.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 14, 2023 13:25:26 GMT
Thereâs a ÂŁ45 seat for this Saturday evening available on the Noticeboard for ÂŁ25.
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Post by musicalfloozie on Jul 16, 2023 12:13:04 GMT
I really enjoyed this production 4 stars from me. Yes it is a slightly watered down version but if I didn't know all the words and had seen the show before it's not drastically different. The cast were great and I enjoyed a female engineer, I think for me Chris' character was now my least favourite and possibly the slight weak link in the show. I enjoyed his performance more in person than I did the promo video though but I just didn't connect with their performance as much.
The orchestra were great, it's the busiest I've seen the Crucible be at the very end for a final round of applause for them!
I've rebooked to see again in a few weeks even if it is just to see Shanay singing Maybe again.
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Post by marob on Jul 16, 2023 23:21:16 GMT
I was at the matinee as well. Iâve never seen Miss Saigon, so was able to just take it on itâs own terms without comparing it to the original. Really enjoyed it and would also be booking again if Sheffield wasnât a bit too far away.
I saw Worth a few months ago (the play that was pulled from the Crucible after they announced this) and F*** Miss Saigon a few weeks ago, and after seeing this I canât quite work out what all the controversy is about. Iâll have to watch the gala film to see what the original is like. Just listening to The Heat is on in Saigon, it does sound like the women are treated very differently (and more realistically TBH) in that.
I like how stripped back it was. I loved the (off-stage) helicopter and The American Dream, both highlights, but I got goosebumps during the Sun and Moon reprise.
This was my first time visiting the Crucible. What a lovely theatre. I had to change my booking pretty late, so went from front row to row L, but even near the back it still felt really intimate.
On a side-note: Are those colourful buildings you can see from the foyer/bar the setting for Standing at the Skyâs Edge?
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Post by mrnutz on Jul 17, 2023 8:12:59 GMT
Miss Saigon on a budget. Amateurish. Clunky.
I know others have described this production as âsanitisedâ but the word Iâd use is âmutedâ.
Probably not helped by being (I believe) the first performance for the alternate Kim and so the alternate Gigi, this did not feel like a confident and assured performance from many in the cast.
I have no issue with a female Engineer in theory and could see how this could have worked, but Joanna Ampil didnât bring the sleaze or comedy that can make the Engineer such an engaging character, screeching her way through most of her songs.
There were dropped props, including Thuyâs pistol sliding across the stage, and I have no idea what having performers sat around the edges at various points brings to this show.
The helicopter scene was well done, despite the lack of helicopter, and I enjoyed the projections on the back wall which helped to set the scene with minimal physical sets. Amazing what you can do with a wobbly metal staircase and a table on wheels.
Overall, for me, a miss.
2.5/5
Side notes on my first visit to The Crucible: excellent views, not enough toilets, could have done without the constant phone checkers, casual chatters and sweet unwrappers.
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Post by stepha on Jul 17, 2023 8:43:37 GMT
I saw the Sat matinee of this with my sister, both huge fans of the original so very biased and I was nervous how I'd feel about this. I'd avoided other reviews until after I'd seen it but did see the word sanitised a few times. I can understand why this will split opinion but I actually enjoyed this so much and was even more surprised that my super-fan sister said it was her favourite performance of Miss Saigon that she'd seen.
Apologies if my thoughts are all over the place but here goes...
I didn't mind the very stripped back staging and thought it was very well done with very little.
I actually don't agree with sanitised - the whole thing felt much more real and gritty. I suspect the girls outfits in Dreamland were probably more accurate than the original costumes - Dreamland felt quite dark and hard to watch rather than glamorised - I felt like I could feel hopelessness from both the girls and the GI's which was really stirring. The use of the podium where the GI's were looking up at the girls who weren't actually on the podium, but were around the stage, lit up for the audience as their names were called was really interesting.
Bui-Doi (as lots have already mentioned) was for me a triumph and better than the original.
I actually thought that moving Chris and Ellen into a supermarket for I Still Believe was effective - it's not just his dreams that are haunted but his everyday life and again felt more 'real'.
I was really moved by the flashback and Chris being pulled away from Kim by the helicopter - gives me chills thinking back to it.
Morning of the Dragon was also really effective - the choreography and lighting were clever.
The projections and the whole atmosphere around the refuge boat were so beautifully done and the first time I've really felt the gravity and danger they were facing.
A female engineer really seemed to me to give a strong sense of the desperation to escape and Joanna Ampil was unsurprisingly excellent. I feel like this has opened the door for the engineer to be played interchangeably by anyone as long as they can portray that dark desperation. Our Kim was Desmonda Cathabel on her debut and I found her portrayal really beautiful. (she blanked for a couple of lines near the beginning which I don't even know if I should mention because she moved on like a true professional and it didn't change my opinion on her wonderful performance). I've always found Ellen to be a rather blaa and not particularly likeable character but Shanay Holmes was outstanding - the first time I've ever shed a tear for Maybe. Ethan Le Phong as Thuy was another outstanding performance. The cast were all outstanding, I feel almost bad singling out just these!
Oh, and my first time at the Crucible and what a fabulous theatre!
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Post by TallPaul on Jul 17, 2023 12:25:45 GMT
Are those colourful buildings you can see from the foyer/bar the setting for Standing at the Skyâs Edge? Yes they are. Goodness knows how they're going to re-create that 'effect' at the Gillian Lynne. And above and behind Park Hill is the actual Skye Edge.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 17, 2023 12:41:34 GMT
I donât think weâve done a press reviews round up?
Guardian: A slick machine of a musical âď¸âď¸âď¸ Stage: Performances emphasise the rage and anguish âď¸âď¸âď¸ Times: Who needs a helicopter? âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸ WoS: Assured interpretation remains a sweeping epic âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸ Telegraph: Respectfully revised, remains emotionally searing âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸ Reviews Hub: Thoroughly moving, beautifully performed âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 17, 2023 12:48:09 GMT
Could this possibly transfer to the NT or GL next year? đ˛
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Post by toomasj on Jul 17, 2023 13:00:33 GMT
West End Best Friend (blog) - âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸ East Midlands Theatre (blog) - âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸
Some glowing reviews from the critics/bloggers, but very mixed on here and from friends who have seen it. Two loved it, three liked it, six hated it from the group I went with and friends who went subsequently. Seems the perfect example of a marmite production!
I would say to go and make your own mind up (and this is from someone who was not at all impressed) - at the very least youâll get to visit a wonderful theatre and hear one of the finest musical scores perfectly competently performed by a decent cast. You may love it!
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Post by cheri78 on Jul 18, 2023 23:19:24 GMT
Superb review from Stepha, I'm in total agreement with all you say. Having seen Miss Saigon many times this was a revelation. The staging was superb and let you focus on the story and more importantly the characters. I saw things never noticed before on the vast Drury Lane or Prince Edward stages and though their spectacle was amazing many times this direction made you realise that often its 2 or 1 character on stage, so lost in a vast auditorium. The lighting design was stunning, particularly in Solo Saxophone...just watch for the amazing circle of light and the inky black inside...it actually made me cry!! And the Fall of Saigon was brilliant. Having worked at the Crucible I know that there is miniscule amount of space above the lighting rig, so the direction of being hoisted into the helicopter, the wind effects and swirling lights was a coup de teatre. Perhaps, for me, this scene was the only one where I thought that the original was a little better, and not because of the physical helicopter, but because of the use of the metal fences and how it switched from inside to outside the complex where you really saw the desparation of those trying to get out. This was a little confusing from lower seats in the Crucible, but maybe worked well further back. But the final image of Kim and Chris almost touching hands as the helicopter lifted was a directional triumph. And I mustn't forget the amazing company and those voices. Bui Doi was a revelation. Kim,Chris,John, Ellen Thuy and of course the Engineer were wonderful.It's 5* from me.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 22, 2023 19:25:51 GMT
Very much enjoyed this. Itâs a totally different experience to the original so if thatâs going to upset youâŚbe prepared! Joanna Ampil is so completely assured that you can easily forget the Engineer was originally a man. The gender swap totally works.
Itâs pared back and that works most of the time but niggles with things like the wedding ceremony, and a chair and suitcase representing the Bangkok hotel. First time Iâve felt any sympathy for Ellen but back to form I still hated her by the end. Stop spoiling it for everyone Ellen, just leave him!
âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸
Transfer it to the NT or GL. It would do great business in name recognition alone, cost nowt to run and then CM could revive the âbrilliant originalâ in a couple of years.
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Post by Ade on Jul 22, 2023 21:02:14 GMT
I saw the Sat matinee of this with my sister, both huge fans of the original so very biased and I was nervous how I'd feel about this. I'd avoided other reviews until after I'd seen it but did see the word sanitised a few times. I can understand why this will split opinion but I actually enjoyed this so much and was even more surprised that my super-fan sister said it was her favourite performance of Miss Saigon that she'd seen. Apologies if my thoughts are all over the place but here goes... I didn't mind the very stripped back staging and thought it was very well done with very little. I actually don't agree with sanitised - the whole thing felt much more real and gritty. I suspect the girls outfits in Dreamland were probably more accurate than the original costumes - Dreamland felt quite dark and hard to watch rather than glamorised - I felt like I could feel hopelessness from both the girls and the GI's which was really stirring. The use of the podium where the GI's were looking up at the girls who weren't actually on the podium, but were around the stage, lit up for the audience as their names were called was really interesting. Bui-Doi (as lots have already mentioned) was for me a triumph and better than the original. I actually thought that moving Chris and Ellen into a supermarket for I Still Believe was effective - it's not just his dreams that are haunted but his everyday life and again felt more 'real'. I was really moved by the flashback and Chris being pulled away from Kim by the helicopter - gives me chills thinking back to it. Morning of the Dragon was also really effective - the choreography and lighting were clever. The projections and the whole atmosphere around the refuge boat were so beautifully done and the first time I've really felt the gravity and danger they were facing. A female engineer really seemed to me to give a strong sense of the desperation to escape and Joanna Ampil was unsurprisingly excellent. I feel like this has opened the door for the engineer to be played interchangeably by anyone as long as they can portray that dark desperation. Our Kim was Desmonda Cathabel on her debut and I found her portrayal really beautiful. (she blanked for a couple of lines near the beginning which I don't even know if I should mention because she moved on like a true professional and it didn't change my opinion on her wonderful performance). I've always found Ellen to be a rather blaa and not particularly likeable character but Shanay Holmes was outstanding - the first time I've ever shed a tear for Maybe. Ethan Le Phong as Thuy was another outstanding performance. The cast were all outstanding, I feel almost bad singling out just these! Oh, and my first time at the Crucible and what a fabulous theatre! Saw it this afternoon and this basically echoes my thoughts. Itâs 5 stars from me. Loved virtually everything about it. All of the performances worked for me and felt less âstageyâ than the Prince Edward production. But the female engineer was a brilliant move. I found myself struggling to see a man in the role - right from the moment the engineer sings in movie in my mind, there was suddenly an extra depth to the character. So many of her motivations seemed more authentic, lee shrewd and more sheer desperation. And frankly when it comes to the helicopter, who even needs it?! This was a thrilling staging of that sequence - I found myself getting a tad emotional at the sheer theatricality of the way they did it. I know there was some criticism of the projections earlier on and frankly I could take or leave them but the lighting design was STUNNING. Some of the uses of lighting to create different environments were genius, and the way they used light shining through the back wall created some stunning scenes.
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Post by djdan14 on Jul 22, 2023 22:39:05 GMT
Selling a ticket for next Saturday Matinee on the notice board
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 23, 2023 20:59:04 GMT
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Post by toomasj on Jul 23, 2023 21:14:16 GMT
Always loved that performance on YouTube, Peter Poly never lets you down. Seen him in rather a lot of musicals over the years!
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Post by johnp on Jul 24, 2023 13:23:53 GMT
I saw the matinee performance on Saturday (22/07) and loved every minute of it. The majority of the production changes worked for me although sometimes the staging seemed a little too busy for my liking at times.
Desmonda's performance as Kim was breath-taking, both in vocal delivery and intensity. I am a massive fan of Joanna and she did not disappoint. However, the engineer historically brings us the closest we are going to get to comic relief and I just don't feel that was achieved in this production.
Ultimately, I would give this 5 stars. Miss Saigon has always been controversial and it involves increasing challenging themes. Any musical that can have a huge emotional impact on you and has that much talent on stage deserves 5 stars, in my opinion. I would add that I spent most of the production with tears streaming down my face; but anyone who knows me knows that is not unusual in the theatre.
This was my first visit to the Crucible and the venue and its staff were lovely.
I hope to catch this production again before it closes.
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Post by schuttep on Jul 24, 2023 13:44:54 GMT
I saw this last Saturday matinee and absolutely loved it.
As has been said, the singing and lighting were particularly excellent. I saw the 2022 winner of the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year (SSSSPOTY) competition, Desmonda Cathabel, as Kim and she was outstanding.
I would be very surprised if CamMac doesn't give this a longer life.
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Post by anthony40 on Jul 24, 2023 14:41:29 GMT
Thank you for sharing BurlyBeaR. When my best friend and I backpacked through Europe we saw Miss Saigon when we came to London in 1993. (I think) he'd left the show by then. But I have his vocals on the cast recording. We'd heard all about Miss Saigon and this and Sunset Boulevard were the shows to see. Since being here I have seen him in many shows- City of Angels and The Band's Visit (both at The Donmar) and Working at Southwark Playhouse. He was also on Oklahoma! at The National- which I never saw (before my time here) but I have on DVD. Of course he is an older man now but it's good to see him younger and to put a face to the vocals and to see how the whole scene looked back then.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 24, 2023 18:00:05 GMT
Itâs interesting that Peter Polycarpou has an amazing voice and a fantastic pedigree in MT but most people in the U.K. only know him from that awful TV sitcom he did.
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Post by cezbear on Jul 24, 2023 18:03:28 GMT
Itâs interesting that Peter Polycarpou has an amazing voice and a fantastic pedigree in MT but most people in the U.K. only know him from that awful TV sitcom he did. I'll admit I can never quite forget him for birds of a feather (thanks mum).
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Post by toomasj on Jul 25, 2023 18:20:49 GMT
Regarding this going into the Prince Edward, would Cameron Mackintosh even want that? He did his revival - basically the original production - with his boy directing really not too long ago. He clearly believed in it, releasing the pro-shot, transferring it to Broadway, doing a making of DVD etc.
I personally think itâs very unlikely the Sheffield Theatres MS will go into the same theatre. As far as I understand it, Cameron had little to no involvement in the Sheffield production and simply licensed it - would his ego allow a new production he didnât helm to undermine his previous one at the very same venue?
Cameron has made it clear throughout his career he believes in not reinventing the wheel - and has said as much in recent interviews. I wonder if this production is a little too far outside of his vision to put his name to in the West End.
And finally, would the audience bite? Playing a northern regional venue (and a great one at that) scoops up audiences for the show from the entire north of England. The revival in town was really struggling on for a while before it closed, papering every single night at PBP and others - and not even shifting all of those either.
Would an audience really be sold on a ânew productionâ anyway? One without the helicopter? The average punter doesnât know or care what the differences between productions is, theyâll just see Miss Saigon and either book or not. I think itâs too soon for a revival in the West End.
Maybe a tour.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 25, 2023 18:27:10 GMT
And finally, would the audience bite? Playing a northern regional venue (and a great one at that) scoops up audiences for the show from the entire north of England. The revival in town was really struggling on for a while before it closed, papering every single night at PBP and others - and not even shifting all of those either. Would an audience really be sold on a ânew productionâ anyway? One without the helicopter? The average punter doesnât know or care what the differences between productions is, theyâll just see Miss Saigon and either book or not. I think itâs too soon for a revival in the West End. Maybe a tour. Maybe a non replica production would be the very thing to get a London audience to bite? Iâve been looking at some clips from the original and my word, it looks âbusyâ and (sorry) âoverblownâ? Iâve realised since seeing the Crucible version that the stripped back design really made me focus on the material. Isnt the London and possibly International audience looking for something a bit more forward thinking than that old helicopter effect?
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